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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cue · safe · prune · wax · club · wake · bear · staff

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. club — for dancing
  4. staff — employees
  5. cue — for pool
  6. club — for golf
  7. wax — to grow
  8. staff — a stick
  9. bear — the animal
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. cue — a signal
  14. club — a group
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — to trim
  21. cue — a hint
  22. wake — a trail
  23. staff — employees
  24. wake — before a funeral

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com